


Mara's Obsession

by Qurinas



Category: Star Wars: New Republic Era - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-10-01
Updated: 2001-10-01
Packaged: 2017-10-18 11:12:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/188324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qurinas/pseuds/Qurinas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short time after the marriage of Luke and Mara. Mara Jade Skywalker is presented with a question she can not answer and weighs upon her heavily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mara's Obsession

**Author's Note:**

> This is an answer to a Mara and Luke List Challenge. The question was "Why do men hold themselves in their sleep." And how Mara would react when she discovered her new husband was guilty of this little crime. Here is my take on it

Mara Jade Skywalker’s eyes fluttered open as the morning’s first rays came through the window. She rolled over to face the person lying beside her. She grinned at Luke’s boyish face. He was still sound asleep, his breathing soft and steady.

As she stared lovingly at her new husband, she noticed that his left arm hung at what seemed like a very uncomfortable angle. His shoulder was almost touching his neck. It seemed to her that his hand might be caught on something.

Her brow furrowed as she remembered what she had seen almost every morning since their wedding. She pulled the covers aside to see Luke’s hand hidden underneath the cloth of his thin sleeping pants. Mara subtly reached out with the Force. She sensed no sexual desire within him, and she was sure she would have known if there was any. They were newly weds, after all.

Instead, he seemed completely peaceful and happy. Mara was at a loss. She could not figure out, for the life of her, why Luke’s hand was always down his pants just before he woke up in the morning. ‘Well, Jade, why don’t you just ask him?’ Mara thought to herself.

She mulled the idea over for a few moments before answering herself. ‘No, I can’t do that. Not yet.’ Even though they had been married almost two months now, there were still some subjects that were taboo. Most of them concerned the refresher, but this was one that would fall into the same category.

Beside her Luke began to stir, shaking Mara from her reverie. His hand slipped from its position atop his crotch and landed on the bed. Luke opened his sleepy, blue eyes to see his wife staring at him. "Good morning, Mrs. Skywalker," Luke said with the huge farmboy grin that melted Mara’s heart.

"Good morning to you," she said, leaning in to plant a soft kiss upon his lips.

For an instant, Mara considered broaching the subject of Luke’s hand position. She blushed deeply, fearing he may have been able to sense her thoughts. However, Luke must have still been sleeping, for the thoughts went undetected. So, the newly weds went on about their morning routine.

A week had passed with Mara’s now burning question still having gone unasked and unanswered. It was a great enigma to her, even though she could see that it was quite silly and that she was probably giving the matter way too much importance and thought.

Mr. and Mrs. Skywalker lay side by side, staring up at the ceiling. A thin sheen of sweat covered both of their brows and their breath was quick and ragged as their bodies tried to recover from the exertions of their lovemaking.

Mara reached out for her husband’s hand and their fingers intertwined. Mara sighed contentedly as the wispy tendrils of sleep reached for her. As she drifted off, she could still not shake the question from her waking mind. ‘Why is it men are always holding themselves in their sleep?"

*****************

Mara Jade disembarked from the shuttle now sitting on the Emperor’s personal landing pad at the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. The Emperor’s Hand had been off gathering intelligence for her Master about a traitorous Fleet Captain, whom had been looking to make a few credits by selling the Empire’s war materials.

The twenty-year-old Imperial assassin looked down at her chrono before casting her eyes skyward, predawn was beginning to light the horizon. According to her chrono it was just after four in the morning and it was most likely that her Master was asleep. However, she knew he would want this information as soon as possible.

Mara quickly made her way through the corridors to the Emperor’s Throne Room. She knew it was unlikely he was there, however she would be able to send one of the Royal Guards to advise him she wished an audience. Mara made every effort possible to stay away from her Master’s personal chambers.

She entered the giant, nearly barren chamber to see a silhouette in the Emperor’s Throne. Mara reached out with the Force, and when she did it felt like her Master’s presence. However, it was much more relaxed and peaceful than she had ever felt before.

Mara crept closer, trying to discern why the Emperor had not spoken to her yet. As she neared the throne, she noticed that Emperor Palpatine was slumped in his chair a bit. His breathing was shallow and steady. His eyes were closed and soft snores escaped his cracked lips.

As Mara looked him over, she saw that his right had had slipped beneath his robes. She could tell by that position of his arm that his hand rested firmly in his crotch. And the shape of his hand suggested he cupped not only his flaccid member, but his genitalia as well.

The Emperor’s Hand was at a loss for what to do or say. Before she had made any decision in the regard, Palpatine’s sulfur colored eyes slashed open. He did not move but simply stared at her. "Greetings, My Hand," he hissed.

Mara could not move her eyes fast enough off, to hide that she was observing the Emperor holding his manhood. The slouching old man noticed her stares.

"I suppose you are wondering why it is I am sleeping like this?" he snarled. Mara could not even reply. Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment and no words came to her mind that seemed appropriate to speak.

"Well, I will tell you. I have educated you, to some degree, in the ways of the Sith. As you know, it is for Lord Vader to one day take everything I have away from me and claim it for himself." The Emperor’s features hardened, as he seemed to grip tighter around his manhood. "But Lord Vader will never get these, least of all when I am sleeping," he growled.

Mara’s jaw nearly bounced of the polished marble floor of the Throne Room. She stood before her Master, stricken totally speechless. Finally, Palpatine shifted his hand from his crotch to the armrest of his throne. "Now, My Hand, what is it you have discovered?"

Mara Jade recovered somewhat and informed her Master of the success of her fact-finding mission. She recounted how she had discovered that Captain Keighttahl had been selling weapons to a cell of rebels near the Outer Rim.

Palpatine leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his chin. "Very interesting indeed…"

Mara stood silently waiting for the instructions she knew would come. "I would like you to inform Lord Vader to prepare his flagship for immediate departure," the old man ordered.

Mara bowed deeply before the withered Sith Master. "As you command," she answered dutifully.

"I would like you to accompany Lord Vader to the Firrerre system, there you will rendezvous with the Chimera and Grand Admiral Thrawn. He had best know where the wayward Captain Keighttahl is, since he is within the Admiral’s direct chain of command."

Mara bowed again and spun on her heel to exit the room, trying with all her will to banish the image of her Master with his hand in his robes.

She began her long trek through the corridors in the direction of Lord Vader’s personal quarters. Her eyes were beginning to sag with the late hour. She would rouse Darth Vader as fast as possible. Then she would quickly have her things brought aboard the Executor where she could finally sleep.

Mara arrived at Vader’s door and keyed in her access code. She knew that the fallen Jedi was one of the deepest sleepers in the Galaxy. She would need to wake him in person, no door buzzer was going to be able to do that. She would just need to hope he wasn’t too angry.

The door opened and Mara entered the Sith’s living area. She walked through the antechambers back towards Darth Vader’s bedchamber. She entered the chamber, through the airlock to find the Dark Lord sprawled out on is sleeping couch.

He still had his helmet on despite being in the pressurized environment designed to duplicate that of his suit. She heard his heavy breathing through his respirator. It seemed as if he was battling the entire rebellion with how heavily he was breathing.

She then heard muttering from the Sith Lord as her eyes moved down his body. She saw that his hand was lying on his giant, swelling erection! "You may be the Queen," Mara heard him mutter. "But, who is your daddy?"

Mara gasped at what she had heard. In a flash of movement, Vader was on his feet and an angry red lightsaber engaged with a snaphiss.

"Well, Mara Jade. Don’t you know better than to interrupt a man when he is practicing with his saber!" The Sith Lord yelled.

"I’m sorry, Lord Vader," she stammered casting her eyes at the ground as her cheeks flushed for the second time in fifteen minutes.

The impassive mask of the Sith Lord stared at her for a few moments while he quickly rejoined the clasps holding the front of his armored suit. His breathing also returned to its steady, albeit troubled, regular pace. "Why is it that you have disturbed my rest, Hand?" he asked the young redhead.

"Our Master bids that you prepare the Executor for immediate departure, Lord Vader. We are to rendezvous with Grand Admiral Thrawn in an effort to apprehend Captain Keighttahl," she responded finally lifting her eyes from the floor.

The Dark Lord of the Sith stood motionless. Even though Mara could not see his eyes behind the mask, she could feel his hard stare boring into her. She found it hard to stand silent and motionless under his gaze. When she was just about to speak Vader's voice boomed out from behind his mask.

"I suppose you are curious as to why a grown man had his hand in his armor's cod-piece?" Vader asked the startled Emperor's Hand.

Mara drew her hand to her mouth and looked down again. "My Lord, that is not necessary. I believe it is best to began prepping the Executor as soon as possible," the young woman said. 'And the last thing I want to hear about is why for the second time today I've caught a grown man with his hand down his pants,' Mara added in her mind.

Waving his hand in a soft circle, Vader began to speak. "You could not possibly understand the power they possess!" he boomed. Mara's jaw nearly bounced off the floor unable to hide the shock. Seemingly oblivious he continued, "A man must safe guard his source of power."

Mara only blinked at him, her mouth agape. Vader turned on his heel and his cloak whirled around him as he fled the room in the direction of the shuttle pad. Mara slowly shook her head and she covered her eyes with a sigh. She regained her composure and quickly followed Darth Vader out of the Imperial Palace to the waiting shuttle.

The trip to the Super Star Destroyer, situating herself aboard the ship and the trip to the rendezvous point with the Chimera, seemed to pass incredibly quickly. In fact, almost before Mara realized it, she was boarding the shuttle to fly over to the Chimera.

The Emperor's two servants were led from the hanger bay to the Grand Admiral's Ready Room. Just prior to their arrival Darth Vader turned to Mara. "I have a small matter to attend to concerning the discipline of one of the fleet officers," The Sith Lord boomed.

Mara nodded. "I can began the briefing in your absence Lord Vader."

"Very well, I will meet back up with you when I am finished," the armored figure said before quickly turning down a nearby corridor.

Mara finished making her way to the Admiral's Ready Room. Her escort opened the door for her and stepped to the side. The Emperor's hand stepped through the door, which snapped shut behind her. She looked around the room, which was very dimly lit.

Surrounding the edges of the room where works of art ranging from paintings to sculptures to art forms completely unknown to the young assassin. Tapestries hung in each corner of the room and at it's center was a single chair. Within the chair sat an imposing figure with dark blue skin and wearing a brilliant white uniform.

Mara recognized the figure as Grand Admiral Thrawn. However, something was not right. Thrawn's glowing red eyes could not be seen, which meant his eyes were closed. She took a moment to observe the alien admiral. His breathing was slow and steady. His head was tilted slightly back, resting on the pad on the chair's back.

As Mara ran her eyes over his body, she discovered that the blue hand that should have extended from the sleeve of the Admiral's jacket was instead hidden beneath the waistband of his pants. The chiss' fingers were obviously in motion beneath the fabric of his pants.

A shocked expression came over Mara's features. She stood there completely stunned. She jumped she heard the figure speak. "Why is it servant's of the Emperor never seem to knock?" Thrawn asked with his eyes still closed.

Mara recovered more quickly than she expected. "I was under the impression you were expecting me, Admiral. Is this the way you greet all your guests?" she asked, her razor sharp wit returning.

"Well, Mistress Jade, I would not say that. These circumstances are not exactly normal," the alien said with a pause as he continued to fondle his manhood. His eyes remained closed as he continued. "You have something to tell me.

"Yes, Admiral," Mara began. Over the next few minutes, Mara briefed the Admiral as her Master had requested. However, she found it hard to concentrate and often paused for long moments distracted by his continued manipulations of his member.

As Mara finished her briefing, Thrawn's brilliant red eyes snapped open. He gazed fixed on Mara's. He simply stared for a few moments, while Mara grew increasing uncomfortable. Not only was it unnerving to be stared down by the alien, but he also continued to massage himself.

'That's it!' Mara thought to herself. 'I've had enough of men fondling themselves in my presence for one day! I am leaving!' She turned on her heel and began to walk towards the door when Thrawn's commanding voice stopped her.

"It is so like you humans to judge what you do not understand." Thrawn said with obvious disgust in his voice. "I am sure you have heard of my belief that the art of a culture can show a person great insight into their minds?"

The question seemed to come from nowhere. The young assassin had heard from her Master about the Admiral's perceived ability to learn from other cultures by their art. Mara slowly turned around to face him.

"I can see that you have heard of my talents," he said. "It is your human mind which prevents you from grasping the larger concepts."

Mara bristled at the words and what she could only assume was blatant sexual innuendo. She glanced down at the swell in his trousers. "From what I can see, it is not that large of a concept," she said with her trademarked sardonic smirk.

Admiral Thrawn's brow furrowed, but he allowed his features to speak his displeasure with Mara's comment. "Much more can be discerned from the examination of the penis."

Mara's jaw dropped and she rolled her eyes at Grand Admiral Thrawn. "You have got to be kidding me?"

"No, I am not. Not only can I discern things about myself that lie below my surface thoughts. I can also, while envisioning another man's penis discern a great many things about him," Thrawn informed her.

Exasperated, Mara brought her hands to her head and grasped her hair tightly between her fingers. She threw down her hands and snarled. "That is it! I will here no more of this nonsense! Plus, I have no interest in hearing anymore of your fantasies concerning the penis' of other men!"

In a huff, she whirled around and almost ran to the door. As the doors slid open she felt a slight tremor in the Force. She drew her holdout blaster and jumped to her left. She grasped the tapestry nearest her and ripped it from the wall and tossed it to the floor.

The removed tapestry revealed a human man in the uniform of a Fleet Captain. He had salt-n-pepper hair with a bushy mustache. He had a medium build with a bit of a belly that hung over his belt. As Mara discerned the figure she saw before her was Captain Gilad Pellaeon, she also discovered something else. The Captain stood there with his right hand in his pants.

Mara let loose a frustrated scream. "What is wrong with you people?!" Mara screeched.

The older man stammered as he tried to explain. "I…I…I…" he stammered.

"What?" Mara asked with an exasperated scowl. "What possible excuse could you have? Believe me Captain, it couldn't be any weirder than what I heard already today on the subject!"

The older man was noticeably embarrassed. He cast his eyes down at the ground. "To be honest, at this point in my life, I am just kind of a Thrawn-wannabe."

Mara just stared at him as if he had a wampa head sitting on his shoulders.

"I just hope by imitating him I will someday be as awe inspiring as he is," Pellaeon said with a hopeful look. "Maybe even get some of the respect I know I'll get in the future when I save the New Republic's fleet, a little early."

"Save the what?!" Mara yelled, not believing her ears. "You are all crazy and a bunch of perverts to boot!" The angry redhead spun around in disgust making her way to the door. "I am outta here!"

Mara quickly exited the room as her surrounding changed drastically. She was now walking through one of the cargo bays aboard the Wild Karrde. Beside her she was able to discern a new presence, one that was not there before. She also could no longer sense Lord Vader, Admiral Thrawn or Captain Pellaeon. The man walking beside her was one she knew well, the captain of the ship and her current employer, Talon Karrde.

Even though the shift would make no sense in other circumstances, the thought did not even cross Mara jade's mind. In fact, it seemed perfectly natural.

As she thought back, Mara realized they had been discussing potential clients for the last several minutes. The young woman could not figure out why she seemed to have jumped ahead several years in but an instant, but did not give it anymore thought since it felt completely natural.

The pair made their way across the bay. When they were a few meters from the exit they hear a shout from above. "Look out!"

Mara quickly moved to the side. Sadly, Talon did not make the same move. Instead he made the mistake of looking up to see what the danger was. He raised his eyes just in time to see a hydrospanner mere inches from his face.

Talon screamed in pain as the metal tool struck him in the face. He crumpled to the ground a mere instant after Mara heard a sound she recognized well, that of human bones breaking. She turned to see her friend writhing on the ground in agony.

Mara dropped to her knees beside her injured friend. He had brought his hands to cover his face, blood run between his fingers from an obvious cut just below his left eye. Mara tried to pull his hands away from his face to get a better look at the injury.

"Get a medic down here, now!" Mara instructed a nearby subordinate, urgency clear in her voice. She then turned her attention back to Talon. She managed to pull away his right hand, but his left hovered near the injured eye.

Mara did not want him bringing his other hand back up after the effort she had put in to move it in the first place. She followed his arm with her gaze from his shoulder to his hand. She found his hand between his tightly clenched thighs, protectively holding his manhood.

When Mara discovered it, she did a double take and a gasp escaped her lips. In the flurry of activity surrounding Talon, her shock went unnoticed. In a matter of moments, medics arrived and moved Talon to a repulsorstretcher.

Talon was moved from the cargo bay to the med center. During that time, Mara observed him closely as he was attended to. During the whole ordeal, from the time she moved his hand through his entire treatment, his left hand hovered near his injured eye while his right hand covered his genitalia.

When his injury had been fully attended to, Mara moved to sit next to the bed Talon was laying on. A question had popped into her mind and she could not seem to shake it loose. Knowing that she would most likely regret the answer, she still could not stop herself from asking, "Talon, why is it that…"

Mara stopped, struggling to come up with a way to phrase the question. "Why is it that when you were hurt your hand went…" Mara stumbled over her words. Finally she gave up and just looked down at his crotch. "There?"

Talon looked down with his eye that had not swollen shut, then looked at Mara quizzically. He then looked away, as if trying to remember what had occurred. "I guess I did put my hand there when I was hurt." Talon then looked as confused as Mara did by his admission.

"Hmmm…" Talon mumbled, obviously deep in thought. Mara sat quietly waiting for some form of explanation. Even though she was growing quite tired of the topic of men and their constant need to be touching…it.

"I guess, when a man is most vulnerable it somehow makes sense to him to protect the part of his body that is always vulnerable," Talon suggested. Mara could tell that he was as unsure of his explanation as she was.

She merely shook her head and stood, making as fast a retreat as she could manage. She walked through the portal of the medical center to find herself in what she knew was the Rogue Squadron briefing room. Despite the transition breaking all laws of space and time, it felt perfectly natural to Mara.

Within the seats sat the pilots of Rogue Squadron. The fact that all were men and that all seemed to have succumbed to a sudden case of narcalepsey struck Mara as more than a little odd. She scanned the room and it's occupants, trying to get her bearings.

An heavy groan escaped her lips as she saw that every single man in the room, had the bottom zipper of his flightsuit raised a bit and his hand firmly placed within. Mara immediately knew what they all were doing. She felt a tremor in the Force, sensing several people immediately behind her.

She spun around to see a small group of women standing behind her. She recognized the faces of her female friends. Among them stood Leia Organa Solo, Winter, Iella and Mirax. They all gave her a sad look, which conveyed the feeling they had all wrestled with the same question. Their look also conveyed the fact that they were as clueless as she was on the matter.

Mara turned away, shaking with frustration. "I can't take it anymore!"

************

Mara Jade Skywalker sat upright in the bed she shared with her husband. She blinked and took in her surroundings, shaking the sleep from her eyes and the dream from her mind.

She glanced over at her husband who was still sound asleep. She lifted the sheet to confirm her suspicion. She found exactly what she expected, his hand firmly holding his Littlest Jedi Master. Her right arm shot out faster than a Kashyyykian Tree Snake.

Luke awoke with a start as Mara's iron grip clamped down on his arm holding it in place. Luke's eyes, wide with surprise, brought their gaze upon the visage of his beautiful wife. When he discovered that she was holding his arm in place of his most private areas, a deep blush rose in his cheeks.

"Ummm…Mara? What are you doing?" Luke asked tentatively.

Her frustration flooded into him through their bond as Mara lowered her mental barriers. "I can't take it anymore, Luke. I need to know why you keep doing…" She shook his arm to emphasize the point. "…that."

Mara allowed Luke access to her every thought and the images from the dream came flooding into his mind. Luke experienced all she had in a matter of moments. He sat in silence contemplating what he had seen.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

Luke looked at her confused. "Well, what?"

"Why do men do it?" she asked in an exasperated tone. Her husband did not answer fast enough for her. "Does holding it help you think?! Are you afraid it is vulnerable while you are unconscious, asleep or injured?! Do you just like to play with it?! Are you paranoid it might run away?!"

Luke brought his hand to his chin, as he appeared to be thinking deeply. After a moment, he stood and began walking over to the refresher. Mara watched him closely as he moved. Luke rested his hand on the edge of the door as he turned back to face his wife.

The pair stood in silence for what seemed like and eternity to Mara. Luke looked her square in the eye. With a wink, he simply replied. "Yes."


End file.
